Would-Be Successor to Martinez Promises Dignity and Transparency

City Councilman Miguel Martinez stepped down from office after admitting to pocketing thousands of dollars in public money.

One of the leading candidates to replace Martinez, Ydanis Rodriguez, is campaigning with a promise to “bring dignity, honesty and transparency from District 10 to the City Council.”

Rodriguez was speaking on the City Hall steps Sunday, where he was getting endorsed by a number of elected officials.

“One commitment I made to my community: I will bring dignity, honesty and transparency from District 10 to the City Council,” he said

Rodriquez went on to talk about bringing resources to the community and “to be sure that the money is invested on those residents who really need the money.”

I asked Rodriguez if his comments about “dignity, honesty and transparency,” along with the pledge to send money to people “who really need it,” were a response to Martinez’s legal troubles.

No, he said. “This is the third time I’ve run for the City Council,” and “when I ran for the first time, I focused on those issues.”

Endorsing Rodriguez for City Council were State Senators Eric Schneiderman and Bill Perkins, Assemblymen Herman “Denny” Farrell and Adriano Espaillat, Councilman Robert Jackson and district leader Maria Luna.